Historic Washington State Park

First grade went on our first out of town field trip to Historic Washington State Park. The children toured homes that were built in the 1800s and witnessed how people lived in the frontier time period. Entering homes that old was fascinating. The children noticed how the homes were built in a way to benefit the residents; since there was no electricity the homes needed breezeways to stay cool and large windows for light. In one home we toured, the children saw what type of bathroom was easily accessible and also the type of toothbrush commonly used. Everyone agreed they did not want the chore of taking the chamber pot out! It was interesting to learn that toothbrush bristles were made from pig hair, they weren’t excited about using that type of toothbrush either. One part of the trip that was really intriguing to all the students was the weapons museum, they all had questions about the guns and knives. The weapons dated back to the revolutionary war! One thing they noticed was how intricate the artwork was on some of the weapons. Besides seeing the original dishes from one of the homes, what the homes frame were made from, and lifestyle items (clothes, bathtub, furniture), the class saw the oldest magnolia tree in the state. Much fun was had dipping candles into colors, I think we (adults and children) would say it was one of our favorite activities of the day. Although, the surrey carriage was very memorable, too. It was an amazing day full of memories and learning! The class has been looking forward to this trip for months and I know it did not disappoint!

Have a blessed day!

Claire Gordon